The White Wolf
by PlasmaQuill
Summary: Lysithea von Ordelia has lived a life of misery, all thanks to an infamous criminal she has never even met. When a series of unfortunate events leads her to meet the man responsible for much of her suffering, chained up in a prison cell no less, she wants to kill him there and then. But she can't, for she has been imprisoned with him.
1. Garreg Mach Incident

Seclusion was not a foreign concept to Lysithea von Ordelia. She thrived within it, in fact, as it granted her the tranquility of peace that allowed the best results from her studies.

More importantly, it also meant she did not have to suffer the presence of other human beings, who weren't her closest family members.

As a result, isolation was something she grew to love.

Her current contour of confinement provided what she loved, but the reason for her segregation was one out of her control.

Regardless, she did not dislike the remoteness. The repercussions of being in such a location, however? That was something she was not looking forward to.

Any hope she had for a quiet school life had long since dispersed. That hope wasn't exactly large to begin with, but her parents had begged her to be optimistic.

Her parents... What would her parents think of her if word got out?

They WOULD find out, of course. The Church of Seiros would inform them even if she ended up escaping this damp, dark place.

The thought horrified her. Would they assume the worst? What would the church even say to them? Would they at least think something wasn't right?

It would be the latter. It would have to be that. Once they heard the circumstances of her situation, they would definitely side with her.

...right?

Doubt was a horrible thing. All it took was a single thought containing it to easily consume any rationality.

Lysithea wasn't one to usually be targeted by such a thing, but her parents were the only meaningful thing left in her life.

They were the only ones who did not look at her with diabolical eyes. The eyes of her parents... they were full of nothing but unconditional love. Imagining them was like a light in the darkness and always gave her some hope no matter the situation.

Some people were better at hiding their dark thoughts than others, but she had learned to see the truth in a person's eyes. It was a horrible gift at first, but she figured knowing the truth was far better than living a life of lies.

"Excuse me..."

The voice was quiet, but thanks to the seclusion of sound, it snapped her out of her thoughts.

Lysithea was used to a world of light, not one surrounded by darkness. It had been an hour since she last saw the sun, but this meant her eyes had now somewhat adjusted to the darker location.

This additional sight allowed her to notice the man next to her - and the countless chains holding him in place. She could see the outline of his body, though whatever he was wearing under his neck was jet-black in color and difficult to see in detail.

But there was one part of his body that wasn't.

His hair.

A luminescence white.

It was beautiful; it rivaled the moon itself in its allure.

Lysithea once thought the same of her own, dangerously similar hair, in spite of the circumstances behind the hue.

There was only one man known throughout Fódlan to don a garment of black while possessing hair that was the exact opposite in radiance.

The White Wolf.

The most dangerous criminal known to the entire continent.

And Lysithea von Ordelia was locked away in the same cell as him.

"...may I ask for your name?"

* * *

Garreg Mach Monastery was known for its clear skies and abundant sunlight.

However, despite being secluded away within the central mountains of Fódlan, this place of tranquility was suffering from an unexpected plague. It was a sickness that shattered the student's expectations of their new homes.

It brought horror to nearly all of them, with many allegedly dramatically declaring that their world was coming to a tragic end.

At least, that was what a young girl recalled one student's description of the current situation. As dramatic as their wording was, she couldn't blame them for thinking that way. The level of misery amongst the students was likely equal to what it would be during a real calamity.

The girl looked up from her desk and watched as droplets of water swam down each individual window in her dormitory. As she adjusted some loose strands of silver hair that had crept into her view, the echoes of thunder shook the foundations of her room ever so slightly. Ordinarily, such an act would unnerve the white-haired maiden, and it certainly had done so on the first day. But now? On day three?

She felt nothing but utter frustration every time she heard the heavens roar.

For many, it was their first week living within the loving embrace of Garreg Mach. Students were required to integrate themselves into the monastery's community two weeks before classes formally started. This offered these new additions a chance to adapt without instantly being nudged into the classes that would shape their futures.

Most of these pupils consisted of nobles from across the continent of Fódlan, and some from even beyond the mainland. Even a few not originating from a pristine bloodline had enrolled, all thanks to scoring high grades in other notable schools, securing them a spot in the illustrious Officer's Academy.

Another key part of these two weeks was gifting students time to mingle amongst each other and form friendships. Countless were destined to inherit territory or become key leaders and friendships being made now between these important individuals would aid in solving potential future conflicts.

It was now day three, with eleven days until classes officially began.

The lone girl wasn't sure if anyone had made any friends yet.

She certainly hadn't.

After all, an unexpected disease was forcing almost every student - aside from the very bravest, to stay indoors. In fact, this infection had made itself known on the day all the students had arrived to move in.

This... calamity showed no signs of stopping any time soon.

So what was the sickness that had struck Garreg Mach Monastery?

A horrendous storm.

Lysithea von Ordelia did not mind the bad weather. At least, she didn't initially. All she could think about now was that this storm had overstayed its welcome. There were too many things she wanted to do that the heavens would simply not allow. For instance, there was no use visiting the library and borrowing a book if it was easily going to get soaked on the way back to her room.

There was a certain benefit to being forced to stay inside, however. It meant no repeats of her first day at Garreg Mach.

Ironically enough, the weather was the only redeeming thing about that day - perhaps aside from learning she would be in the Golden Deer, but that much was obvious.

Lysithea sighed, planting her face onto her desk and stretching out her arms. It was best not to recall that day too much, even if it was very fresh in her memory.

What if someone knocked on her door right now and she answered, unknowingly revealing a tear-stained face? They would think she was some sort of pathetic child.

Something like that was unlikely, of course, but she couldn't rule out any possibilities.

She let out a sigh, followed by a miserable sounding and drawn out "I'm bored," to no one in particular. Her words naturally fell on deaf ears, but she felt a little better venting out her frustrations.

All she could do was watch the rainfall.

Compared to moments before, the weather looked like it was quieting down a little. She was no fool though. Nature was a cold mistress and used this tactic to deceive those who would dare venture out, showering them in a downpour soon after they departed.

The girl's thoughts amused her and provided a bite-sized piece of entertainment, but it was short-lived.

Rainfall was a soothing sound. It was hard for Lysithea to not lose her consciousness to the comfort of its composure. The warmth of her shelter only added to that cozy feeling.

It made the silver-haired maiden recall times that had long since passed. She remembered when a terrible thunderstorm had struck Ordelian territory six years ago; her father had succeeded in calming his little terrified girl by giving her a teddy bear to hold and squeeze. Despite the crashing of thunder, a younger Lysithea slept calmly with her new friend by her side.

She did not bring that teddy bear with her to Garreg Mach Monastery. She didn't want to think about what would happen if someone saw it! What she wouldn't admit to anybody was that she deeply missed it.

Despite its absence, the sound of rain was enough for her to fantasize a little. Daydream that it was still with her. It made her feel at ease. It was the first time such a warm feeling had made itself known since her arrival at her new home.

But when one becomes accustomed to a sound, the appearance of a new one is very, very noticeable.

Commotion. It was not pleasant against her ears; to make matters worse, it was getting increasingly louder. Lysithea felt her pleasant feelings get washed away and replaced by incredible annoyance - a familiar feeling.

Something had stirred up the students outside her personal quarters and they showed no signs of quieting down.

Her grievance grew with the situation, but so did snippets of curiosity. Why were the students being so ludicrously loud all of a sudden?

Perhaps this was a chance: a chance to escape from the prison that was boredom.

Lysithea knew she had to be cautious though. She had no desire to engage in any sort of conversation with anyone; she was certain they shared the same thoughts about her as well. The Ordelian girl let out a sigh at her negative thoughts, instinctively playing with her hair as she contemplated what to do.

When the uproar started to get even heavier, the extra dose of curiosity gained from it was enough to solidify her decision.

A small peek at the outdoor world wouldn't hurt, would it?

Lysithea still had no desire to contribute to whatever was causing this mess. All she knew was that it legitimately sounded like a riot at this point. And so, she barely opened her door and peeked her head through the gap.

She was greeted with a dramatic increase in volume, which consisted of incomprehensive shouting, backed up by the weather's relentless assault.

"What is happening...?" she murmured to herself, attempting to comprehend the sheer anarchy that was outside.

Were the students actually starting a riot against the Church of Seiros, using the rain as a shield to launch a surprise assault?

Was there something in the rain causing some insane bloodlust?

Had the students just lost it after not being able to talk to another being for so long? After all, they too were stuck in their rooms; there were bound to be some literally dying for attention or interactions.

The thoughts amused her. At this point, she was reaching a level of curiosity where she really, really wanted the answers to her questions.

She speedily scanned her nearby surroundings, making several equally speedy observations. Lysithea put her masterful mind to work, several theories forming internally.

Some were in a similar situation to her, standing outside their rooms and watching the chaos unfold from the safety of the roof above them. It was hard to tell if they knew what was happening. A few looked on with curiosity, while others were laughing at the chaos. However, most were sprinting out into the rain.

The presence of the knights intrigued her and they were easy enough to spot. After all, their armor was covered in that distinct white. They were definitely... attempting to stop the running students, but their numbers weren't enough and many slipped through their sloppy formation.

What she found interesting was that they were all heading in a single direction. A few sizable groups of students were maneuvering their way past the fishing pond, the knights still failing to stop them.

Lysithea was certain now. They were all heading towards the place where goods were bought and sold: the marketplace.

But why?

Perhaps there was some ridiculous sale going on that justified heading out in this weather?

But what could possibly…?

The Ordelian girl hated to admit it, but she couldn't receive any more answers if she lingered in her room. She let out a sigh.

Crowds were not her thing, but the current commotion and the rain would be enough for her to blend in very well.

Lysithea retreated back into her room and gathered some additional layers of clothing, including a coat that would be able to shield herself from the rain. While she didn't want to be drenched in the slightest, she found it more important that these layers covered up as much of her snow-like hair as possible.

The only hint of her mane was her slightly exposed fringe. The rest was safeguarded by her protective clothing.

"No repeats of the first day. Not until I can at least... prepare myself." She spoke, once again to no one in particular. Her efforts paid off though, as she felt a little more confident.

The Ordelian girl adventured out, making sure to hastily integrate herself into a crowd heading towards the monastery's entrance. The knights were still attempting to stop them, but all it took was a few rowdy students to distract them from the main herd.

As she walked, Lysithea kept her head down low, focusing more on listening to what people in the crowd had to say. She didn't wish to be identified - not that many were paying attention to the people around them anyway. Most students had understandably put on some additional layers too, covering up what would usually be distinctive features, which made her secondary goal even easier.

She ended up hearing very interesting things.

"We need to see this for ourselves!" a girl yelled out with an excited tone. Vague, but added credibility to her theory of something valuable being for sale.

"Yeah, I can't believe it either." a man next to her shared his agreement. Still too vague.

"I can't believe the church actually captured him! This is big news!"

What?

That was not what she expected to hear. Someone had been captured? Before she had time to truly process what that meant, the man responded to his female companion.

"The White Wolf is going to be executed, isn't he?"

Hearing two certain words used in conjunction with each other was all that was needed to change everything.

Lysithea's eyes widened. Her movement, unbeknownst to her, began to dramatically slow down.

She had heard that title before. She had heard that title too many times before.

She knew what it meant. Especially to her.

One leg began to wobble, followed by the other. A single awkward step and she knew would end up tumbling forward.

She was caught in a crowd of people who took no notice of her. Not one was paying attention to their surroundings, meaning a collision was inevitable.

It came quickly.

A man behind her, oblivious to his surroundings, barged right into her.

Lysithea fell forwards, managing to catch herself with her hands. They twisted somewhat awkwardly, but the pain was bearable enough to ignore; there were bigger things to worry about now.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" An obnoxiously loud voice called out to her. The girl instinctively moved her body around, locking eyes with a larger man whose own screamed irritation and displeasure.

All this took place within a matter of seconds, not giving the Ordelian girl enough time to act fast and prevent the upcoming worse-case scenario from occurring.

The man's fierce face hastily morphed into one of confusion and curiosity.

Lysithea had seen that look on many before. It was on the first day. That horrendous, horrifying first day.

The man had noticed.

But how?

Within the corner of her eye, she saw the clutch of cold water that was dripping down the left side of her face. Then the right. Then the left again.

Gathering her bearings slightly, she moved a hand to the roof of her head, feeling the drenched texture of her exposed hair.

"...isn't that...?"

A few had taken notice of the confrontation, but most simply maneuvered their way around the blockage.

However, the same could not be said about the students who had just left their personal quarters. The deer stood out and many took notice.

Lysithea desperately, desperately wanted to escape, but found herself frozen against the ground's frozen embrace.

She knew what they were going to say next. She was no mind reader, but she knew.

_"Don't bring attention to it... don't bring attention to it..."_

"White hair?" The man questioned with a tone of disbelief.

"Hey... isn't that the creepy girl from a few days ago? The one who picked a fight with the church?" A female companion asked her friend, tugging on his shoulder and moving her body to hide behind him. "You don't think she's going to…?"

_"No..."_ Lysithea let loose a scream inside her head. _"Why did they have to recognise me? Why… why did they have to recognise me?!"_

The growing terror manifesting itself within her body froze the girl's arms and legs. She could only watch and allow those familiar words to come. Once again, she was powerless.

Commotion.

She hated its brutal harmony.

But right now? Lysithea couldn't be more thankful for the sudden increase in volume.

There were cries of frustration and annoyance growing behind them. Something had happened to those who dared adventured towards the marketplace that was causing a stir.

"Attention!" somebody with an authoritative tone called out. Lysithea made no attempt to turn around to see who was speaking, but she did notice those in front of her had migrated their eyes elsewhere. "All students must return to their personal quarters immediately! The Knights of Seiros need no pointless distractions!"

Her only guess was that somebody with competence within the church was actually quieting down this riot.

Lysithea watched as the students walked away, all of them passing by her.

The only acknowledgement of her existence she received was the brief glares of students passing by her as they returned to their rooms. Their eyes told her all she needed to know.

Many made sure to keep their distance as they maneuvered their way around her fallen body. This left a consistent sizable gap between herself and the rest of the herd.

Lysithea had heard the rumors that discrimination against her kind was worse in the Kingdom and Empire territories.

That was a lesson she had learned on the first day. She was relearning it now.

Her curiosity over the initial commotion had gone. Her hope that she wouldn't have a day as disastrous as the first had all but vanished.

Her hands curled into fists and she resisted the temptation to punch the ground.

The White Wolf had involvement in this pathetic state of affairs, didn't he?

Of course he was involved. He was always going to be involved. He always had been and he always would be.

_"It's always him…. It's always him! IT'S ALWAYS HIM!"_ She vented inside the confines of her mind. Her hands began to shake.

Lysithea lost track of how many walked by her, but she knew too many had glared at her with those menacing, vile eyes - perhaps memorising her form so they could torment her at a later date.

Every stare sent a chill down her spine.

She had only been at Garreg Mach for three days. Three days was all it took for the White Wolf to make a mockery of her not once, but twice.

That didn't count the multiple moments of dread she had to endure back home.

She hoped the rumors were true and that he had been captured.

If he was set to be executed, she'd even attend the execution herself if she could.

Perhaps some of her suffering would stop with his death.

The rainfall intensified to levels she had only witnessed from the safety of her room. Despite feeling the difference as it tickled her skin, she made no effort to move.

The heavens themselves roared with fury, lightning threatening to strike at any point. Despite hearing the deafening volume as it screeched into her ear, she still made no effort to move.

Why even bother?

There was nothing that would make her feel worse at this point.

Lysithea lost track of how long she had been sat on the ground. Her eyes dashed towards the clouds beyond the monastery; towards the direction of Ordelia.

Perhaps the waters would wash her away and she would wash up at the only place she could call home.

Who was she kidding?

She was never lucky.

"You are Lysithea von Ordelia, are you not?"

Whoever was calling out to her was the same person who had quelled the uproar. She cared little for who they were beyond that; she had no desire to respond to their question either.

"I see." The male voice said after some time had passed. She heard several faint footsteps as the church member began to move. Lifting her head slightly, she managed to glance at the person who was trying to communicate with her. The man stood in front of her, watching with eyes she struggled to read thanks to the turbulent atmosphere.

She had seen this man during the opening ceremony that welcomed the students. He had stood next to the archbishop, watching vigilantly as she spoke.

"...what do you want?" She forced out some words, emphasising her annoyance in their tone. This man was definitely at least a high ranking member of the church, but she cared not for respect at this moment.

"Your attitude speaks volumes towards the accusations that have been made against you."

The voice turned harsh and a little aggressive. It was a tone she was too familiar with. "Perhaps you sound bothered as you have been caught?"

Those words played over and over in her head. They were unbearably cryptic.

"...what are you talking about?" Lysithea managed to ask, her words coming out awkwardly as her body shook.

"As I am certain you are already aware, the students of Garreg Mach Monastery managed to receive classified information about a criminal secretly being escorted through monastery grounds." He answered, resuming a more neutral tone.

Lysithea's mind was an incomprehensible mess. She could not figure out why she was being told all this.

"We have yet to locate the person who leaked this information, but fortunately, we may find that out soon enough, won't we?"

The increasingly accusing tone was back; it only helped to create more questions that desperately needed answers. Lysithea found it suddenly hard to swallow. She moved a hand to her chest, trying to calm the sudden pain that had made itself known.

Was this really happening?

"...are you accusing me of causing this... mess?" She muttered, her question leaking her utter disbelief. She noticed her voice was sounding unbearably off. She couldn't even believe she could sound that way.

"If you are referring to you being the person who leaked the information to the students," The man started, keeping up his assertive voice. "Then you are precisely right, Lysithea."

Lysithea von Ordelia had been through plenty of ordeals throughout her life. She had endured so much.

But a person can only be pushed so far. Her protective wall, the very thing keeping her from breaking down and losing herself to despair, was close to shattering.

_"This has to be a nightmare."_ She thought the only thing that could salvage this situation; the only thing that could keep her sane. _"It has to be. It has to be!"_

"Multiple students have labeled you specifically as the person who instigated this discord."

This was worse than a nightmare.

Lysithea grunted through her teeth and gathered any remnants of energy she had left, forcing herself to her feet. She glared at the green-haired man in front of her, whose posture and facial expression was hard to read.

"They're lying!" Lysithea yelled at him. She no longer cared for the state of her voice, nor that it was becoming increasingly more difficult to speak. "They're lying! They're... lying..."

By the end, her words had morphed into miserable sobs.

The man didn't even react.

Her legs cried for relief, begging to take a break from all they had suffered from. Despite the vigorous sound of the rain, she didn't need to place a hand on her chest to hear how unstable her heartbeat currently was.

She tried to look at the man, but found his features blend into each other.

_"Why is it becoming difficult to see? Is it… the rain…?"_ Her mind asked the question she knew the answer to, but refused to acknowledge. She took a step forward, but her body ached in response.

"Calm yourself, child." Lysithea heard the man say.

_"How could he say that, after all this...?"_

The member of the church let out a sigh after noticing the girl's increasingly erratic breathing.

"If you are innocent, you have nothing to fear. Should no evidence of your involvement be found, you will be freed with no punishment." He explained, his voice a little gentler. "All I ask is that you come with me and answer a few questions. Do you understand?"

Lysithea wanted to yell at him.

She wanted to yell at him and tell him how stupid he was!

Even if she was proven innocent, word would get out. All it would take was one person in the wrong place at the wrong time to see her being questioned. What little reputation she possibly had left would be gone in an instant. Everyone would know who she was then.

What would they call her? The weird girl who was attacked by a member of the Church of Seiros on her first day? No, that would be too complex.

Maybe they'd just call her a witch? The witch responsible for the onslaught of rain they were all suffering from. Everybody would believe it! After all, the rain only started shortly after she arrived! It made perfect sense!

She wanted to cry.

But somehow she hadn't noticed she already was.

It was then that a powerful thought entered her mind.

Garreg Mach Monastery was never, ever going to accept her. But there was a place that would. A place that had come into her mind too often ever since she moved here.

She had come to the Officer's Academy with such optimism, hoping to learn as much as she could so that she could return home with that knowledge. Then, she could make the lives of her parents as comfortable as possible.

Ironically, she wasn't looking forward to the academy at first, but it was her parents who helped unravel those seeds of doubt, making her legitimately excited for her new journey.

It would be tough to return to Ordelia empty-handed now, but she just didn't know if she could survive living at Garreg Mach.

If three days was all it took to reduce her to such a pitiful state, where would she be in a week's time? What about in a month's time? Or a year?

She prepared herself to make a run for it.

But where would she run to? She wouldn't be able to escape. This was territory belonging to the Church of Seiros!

If she was caught, it would be an admission of guilt and they would likely lock her up.

Terrible scenarios played in her head. What if her parents got involved? What if they were drastically affected by her actions?

She wished for anything but that. Everything she was doing was for the future of those who raised her. Everything was her burden to withstand; nobody else's.

She would have to brave it. She would have to be strong, just like her parents had been when she was a mere infant.

With a faint but noticeable nod, she complied.

"I thank you for your understanding." Seteth acknowledged her response. Lysithea began to ponder what was going to happen next when her ears were met by the sound of a drawn-out sigh.

She didn't like the sound of that sigh.

"Guards, seize her."

"What…?" was all the girl could let out before she heard loud footsteps, subsequently followed up by hands gripping her shoulders. Two knights had answered the call.

"My apologies," Seteth followed up, his face positioned a little away from the young girl. If Lysithea wasn't too shaken up by what was going on, she would wonder why he was avoiding eye contact with her. "It is not my wish to imprison a student of the Officer's Academy, but I must do so until the archbishop is ready to talk to you."

Lysithea had assumed that the worst she would get was a firm interrogation.

But they were going to imprison her first.

The thought was equally terrifying and absurd. Any attempts at trying to calm her trembling body ended in failure. Her mind called herself foolish for even thinking she'd get let off that easily, even if she knew she was an innocent person.

The church would find a way to declare her guilty. That was the only way her day could get worse, after all. For that reason, it was bound to happen.

Perhaps this was retribution for ever thinking she would have a good time here.

"We also cannot risk the possibility of more classified information being leaked." He continued. If any part of her mind was still thinking with a clear conscience, Lysithea would acknowledge that their actions made some sense. "Besides, we have the case of your hair to worry about."

As soon as Seteth finished speaking, she finally felt the tears that had been drizzling down her cheeks.

How long had she been crying?

So even the Church of Seiros believed the superstitions.

That had to be the true reason they were suspicious of her.

Lysithea loathed how she had to endure hatred from the local townsfolk back in Ordelia.

They would always stare at her whenever she was present, but never dared say a word due to her status.

She was never oblivious to their watchful eyes, however.

Of course, she was no mind reader, but she could tell what they were thinking.

When she arrived at Garreg Mach, that level of torment increased tenfold. Not only would many glare at her with those vicious eyes, but many would confront her. No longer was she safeguarded by her status as a noble, for she was now surrounded by them.

Not to mention the Church of Seiros, who seemed to not fear a person's heritage.

So led to the infamous first day, where a bigoted member of the church brought attention to her presence and utterly humiliated her in front of an enormous crowd.

The lone maiden had isolated this man as a single case, not foolishly believing that the church thought the same.

But she had been proven wrong. Once again, she had been a fool.

She had truly come to a place of misery. A place where her life of torment would continue.

Any lingering optimism vanished.

The students hated her.

The church hated her.

There was only one thing she knew for certain now. Something that could never, ever be proven wrong.

Lysithea von Ordelia hated Garreg Mach Monastery.


	2. A Fateful Encounter

**Apologises for the formatting error on the original chapter upload.**

* * *

Pain. Misery. Regret.

Lysithea had experienced all these emotions in only a matter of minutes.

Her head hurt.

At the very least, she was now back in the indoors, though she wasn't sure if it had made her feel any better.

Safety from the heavy rainfall was a pleasant benefit, but it hindered her ability to shield her stained face. The aftereffects of her time in the rain still lingered too.

While she had taken off her additional layers, the girl still had to hold onto them, the moisture of which felt awkward against her arm. Even the clothes she was still wearing felt damp, despite being sheltered from the weather. There was also the matter of her soaked hair adding to the discomfort.

Despite feeling dreadful both inside and out, the girl had made an interesting observation. Not a single student could be found.

It was reasonable to assume that they had all been forced back to their quarters. Additionally, with the earlier uproar dissipated, there was no motivation for any pupils to break through the rain's defenses either.

They wouldn't be able to see her.

That was probably the only thing salvageable about this situation, so she was a little thankful for it. However, every benefit has a catch.

She was still under the watchful eye of the Church of Seiros.

Her head hurt.

There were an unusual number of monks roaming around, though she wasn't sure if their numbers seemed higher due to the absence of the students. What was certainly noticeable were the high number of knights stationed around the monastery, many watching carefully as she and her companions walked through the reception hall.

No wonder the church wanted the students gone from the monastery's main grounds; something important was happening that required these numbers.

Of course, she had a good idea of what that something was, as she was currently being accused of having a role to play in this… uneasiness.

Her head still hurt. It felt like it was getting increasingly worse too.

Seteth marched in front of her, with the two soldiers staying by her side. They were positioned in a way that prevented many curious eyes from falling on her, mostly thanks to her smaller height.

The white-haired maiden's mind was the embodiment of turmoil. She found herself unable to latch onto a single thought before it was consumed by two more, and those by four more, and those by eight more, and those by...

A surge of pain snapped her out of her internal prison briefly. She clenched her head and let out a quiet whimper.

Too many observations. Too many emotions. It was hard to keep up. Any attempts to slow her thoughts and calm herself down weren't reaching much success either.

Drained.

Drained, drained, drained!

That was the only word she could use to describe how she felt. Every fiber of her body ached… but only ever so slightly. Its consistency, however, was enough to cause disorientating distress. She was already so sick of it!

Of course, the most reoccurring thoughts were glimpses of the day's events, as if her own mind was mocking her by forcing her to relive every terrible moment.

Miraculously, her breathing and unsteady heart had recovered somewhat, but her body still shivered uncomfortably. Was it due to how cold she was feeling? She honestly wasn't sure anymore. Any attempt at trying to deduce what was going on was quickly killed off by either a distracting thought or her mind rejecting her with a pinch of pain.

One observation she had managed to make, mainly thanks to the consistency of what she was seeing around her, left her perplexed. Every monk or knight they passed wore a face of precaution. Some were so lost in their thoughts that they didn't make any effort to acknowledge their presence.

Something was making them tremendously nervous. That much was clear.

She naturally suspected the White Wolf. His supposed capture was likely to have a role to play in all this, and would certainly explain why so many were around, but why would they be disordered over somebody who had been apprehended?

There was the pain again.

So many questions with no answers. So many emotions. So many observations. So many…

Again.

Lysithea smacked her forehead in an attempt to wipe out the array of nonsense, surprisingly finding it effective. Everything still felt cloudy, but it was the restart she needed to begin to focus once more. Seteth paused and turned his head, giving her a slightly odd look, but she merely avoided eye contact and it wasn't long before they resumed their march.

The look he gave her wasn't one of caution or sternness, but her mind interpreted it in the worst way possible.

What was once an inconceivable amount of interrogations were now replaced by a single, pulsating question - a question that showed no intentions of disappearing.

It wasn't a pleasant one, because of course it wasn't.

What if the church found her guilty?

Her inner voice laughed awkwardly at such a notion. It was understandable to want to question somebody they suspected of leaking information. The Church of Seiros was known as a force for good. Nothing bad would happen.

Well, that was what she wanted to believe. She was having her fair share of doubts about that now.

Her head was beginning to hurt again, but she found the stress peculiarly ignorable due to the arrival of a new emotion - one that was making her hands curl into fists. The moment did not last long, however, due to an unexpected change of pace.

"Brother… What is going on?" Lysithea heard a well-mannered sounding voice call out to them. She looked up and saw a girl approach them, their vibrant verdant hair standing out immediately. WIthout a moment to lose, the girl continued. "When word came back from Catherine, Rhea looked so… relieved. Do you know why?"

The Ordelian girl had never seen this person who donned the academy's uniform before… which was something she found bizarre due to the girl's unique appearance.

She was thankful for their arrival though, as they stood out like a sore thumb. Thanks to that and their bizarrely formal manner of speech, Lysithea found herself set free from the torment of her mind.

Whoever this girl was, she was staring at her with an uncontrollable amount of curiosity twinkling in her eyes. The white-haired maiden quickly turned her head away to avoid eye contact, but all that succeeded in doing was making the girl even more interested; in the corner of her eye, she could see the new arrival make a few steps forward towards her.

"Flayn, I am glad to see you didn't adventure out into the rain." Seteth intersected, diverting his sister's attention. While Lysithea could not see it, he wore a stern face. "I am on important business right now, so I ask that you leave us be."

The slightest pout formed on Flayn's face, but she quickly released it with a sigh.

"...very well, brother." She responded, offering a faint bow.

Glancing at Lysithea one more time, she offered a soft smile before departing. The Ordelian student took a moment to watch the girl leave, finding the other girl's interest in her... perplexing.

Shortly afterwards, Seteth resumed his movement, prompting the student to follow.

And once again, she was led into the realm of silence.

The seclusion would usually be something she would relish in, but this isolation was not of her own accord; it was not making the experience enjoyable.

Lysithea wished she had at least said something to the girl, as she looked a lot more approachable than the knights around her when it came to conversation. Perhaps it was due to her eyes? Her weird level of curiosity was making her curious too.

Then again, her company may have prevented her from doing so. They were obviously taking her somewhere, after all, so there wouldn't be time to stop for a chat. Regardless, the small change of pace was appreciated.

It wasn't too much longer before they entered a corridor that led to a flight of stairs, presumingly leading down into the depths of the reception hall. Upon approaching the staircase, Seteth stopped and turned around, eyeing the two figures standing next to the girl.

"I thank you for assisting me," he offered his thanks to the two knights. "Your presence onwards will not be needed. I ask that you stay guard here until I return."

"Of course, Lord Seteth." one responded, with the other offering their acknowledgement with a nod.

"Please follow me, Lysithea," Seteth called out to her.

With a nod, answered the man's request and followed closely behind him as the journey down several sets of stairs began.

Well, she assumed it would only be a few sets of stairs.

A minute passed, and they were still travelling downwards. The process was unbearably repetitive. Down ten stairs, then perform a u-turn, then down ten more stairs…

As awkward as the walk was before, at least there was a consistent change in the scenery. This? Barely any. There was a gradual change from the more elegant design of the reception hall to simple brickwork, but it was an uninteresting difference.

Surprisingly, the one to offer some respite from this exhausting activity was none other than Seteth, who noticed her slower movement and took time to wait for her at the u-turn point. Lysithea appreciated the gesture but made no comment on it.

While the walk was unbearably tedious, it gave the maiden a moment to truly realize what was happening to her. There was no longer anything of substance to distract her from her lingering fate.

The young girl had subconsciously ignored where their final destination was. With all the activities happening within the monastery, it was easy enough for her mind to be diverted, allowing her to live in denial even for a brief moment.

Every step suddenly felt heavier on her feet.

She remembered what Seteth had said to her out in the rain.

...was the church actually going to do this?

This was a nightmare. It had to be, right?

Lysithea didn't even realize she was shaking her own head, but she at least knew there was no point in delaying the inevitable any longer. She had to face the facts.

She thought she would have to resist the temptation to cry once again. But now? Her eyes leaked nothing. Even her tears were all drained up.

Her head was beginning to hurt again.

And she hated it! She hated this situation! She hated everything that was happening to her!

She hated it, she hated it, she hated it!

"Lysithea, we are here," Seteth called out to her, freeing her from her torment, at least temporarily.

Sure enough, they had reached the bottom. All that awaited them now was a lone door, which was promptly opened by the older man, who beckoned the girl to enter. She abided and found the screeching of the door shutting behind her repulsive. At least the design of this new room was enough to occupy her mind with something a little different.

She found this new location confusing, to say the least; it was a simple square room with doors on each side. Insanely simple.

Wherever they were, it was clearly a scene not many had been to. The lighting in the room was dim, the brickwork looked old and there was a sizable amount of cobwebs attached to the corners of the ceiling. With all that was going on in her head, she was able to tune out that last observation.

Lysithea stood awkwardly, unsure what she was meant to do now. The first impressions she was getting from this place weren't positive either, so the sooner she left this room, the better.

"I would like to apologise for having to bring you down here," Seteth spoke, his voice considerably calmer than it was before, much to her bewilderment. "I do not exactly agree with my orders, but there are many things the church must consider right now. I hope you can understand that."

The lone girl did not resist letting out an aggravated scoff. Vague wording. She detested it. She no longer felt his apology had any merit. It was all empty words to her.

He either didn't hear her or chose to ignore her, instead opting to approach the door to the left of the entrance. When he opened it, she noticed it was a small storage room with a variety of supplies. He reached in, pulling out a towel before gently tossing it over to the girl, who caught it somewhat awkwardly.

"Use this to dry your hair."

Urgh.

She knew what towels were for. She was treating him like a…

Lysithea sighed and used the opportunity she was given to clean up her hair, rather than complain. She could feel her hair's usual style fall out of place a little, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make in exchange for hair that wasn't drenched.

The maiden soon handed the towel back, with Seteth promptly returning it to the storage area. While he was doing so, she used this occasion to look at the room and engrave it in her memory. She wasn't offered much time to look, but she noticed all sorts of general-use equipment and even a few weapons inside the room. How interesting.

Once he was done returning the item to its original location, he closed the door swiftly and approached the only one that hadn't been opened yet.

When it was, they were both greeted by a corridor of darkness.

Everything up until this point had been at least fairly lit up, either thanks to natural daylight or the monastery's own built-in lighting.

But this next room? It was completely shrouded in mystery. It simply looked like a passageway into nothing but a void of nothingness.

Seteth either took no notice of this fact or simply didn't care, instead opting to give Lysithea a hand motion signalling he wanted her to enter.

She wasn't in a position to refuse, so she entered. The older man followed after her, closing the door behind him and sealing the light away.

This unnerved her, but she was given a moment to adjust her eyes a little before being asked to move forward.

As she walked, she began to piece together where she was.

On her left and on her right were bars of steel that separated areas of the room from the corridor they were in. She was quick to assume that they were designed to detain something.

Or someone.

Ah.

So he wasn't lying after all. She figured he wasn't.

As much as she was disgusted at what was happening, she was at least ready to accept the reality of the situation.

The Church of Seiros was going to imprison her.

Lysithea had prepared for a potentially troubled life at Garreg Mach Monastery, but she believed she was strong and brave enough to combat it.

But everything that could have gone wrong did, and it was always worse than the worst-case scenario she envisioned.

As for what was happening to her right now? She had not planned for something like this to ever occur.

If this was any other day, she would have done something by now. She would have at least protested and tried to convince the knights of her innocence. She would have done… something.

But these last few days had taken every last sap of energy out of her.

Allegedly, this imprisonment was only until the archbishop was ready to talk to her.

But she knew better by this point. Someone had spread a dangerous rumor about her; the church had seen the color of her hair. It was not difficult to figure out she was seen as a potential threat.

As much as it angered her, she couldn't blame them for wanting to be safe rather than sorry. She would just have to deal with it, just as she had dealt with everything life had thrown at her so far.

But how do you combat being jailed?

Her only chance of freedom was the White Wolf's execution. They would have no reason to keep her captive then.

She hoped that the rumor of his capture was true.

By this point, they had reached the end of the corridor, or she at least she figured they had.

Seteth made a turn and she heard the shuffling of a key unlocking a door. How he was able to see what he was doing was beyond her knowledge. Interestingly, she noticed that he was looking oddly in a specific direction while he opened the door.

"Please enter," he asked her, not moving his head. She complied. What else could she do at this point? But she noticed the strange tone of his voice… it was...

Once again, she heard the sound of the key; the key that was locking her in.

The realization that he was actually doing this was enough to feel her with dread.

This was a reality. This was a reality. This was a reality.

An excruciating amount of anguish erupted inside her body, the searing of which made her want to collapse there and then.

It hurt! It hurt so much!

...She knew why.

It was obvious in hindsight. A part of her mind was still in denial until this point. Reality was only now sinking in.

She was being locked away.

She was never going to see her parents again.

She was going to be left alone.

She was going to die alone.

She was…

She was…!

Lysithea hadn't noticed herself tumbling backwards until she was saved by the close proximity of the back wall. The bump against her head was enough to empty her troubling thoughts, but she was now hurting both inside and out.

"...I will return to you, I promise." Seteth suddenly spoke. The way he spoke sounded… off to her. Did he sound… frustrated? "I did not want to bring you down here in the first place, so I return as soon as I possibly can. You have my word."

The way he spoke raised more questions than answers. But he sounded… sincere. Could she believe him? She… wasn't sure.

Seteth soon started walking away.

The maiden let her body lean against the wall, not bothering to watch the man leave. Even the brief light entering the room as he made his exit did not faze her. She just stared into the nothingness that her eyes were showing her.

Once again she was left in seclusion, but this wasn't the type she could thrive in.

Lysithea decided to not resist the endless thoughts this time. Opposing them just made her headache even worse.

She thought of many things, but tried her best to make sure they were as positive as possible.

Common topics included her parents. She wanted to see them again soon. She hoped she could.

Whenever she pictured their beaming smiles, the pain felt a little further away.

The lone girl found herself sitting down, lessening the pressure on her legs from standing. It provided a minimal amount of comfort, but it was better than nothing.

All she had to do now was play the waiting game.

That was something she wouldn't mind usually, since she would either have something to entertain herself with or at least a good book to read.

But her only company was the eternal darkness.

Lysithea quickly lost track of the time.

She spent multiple moments either adrift in her mind or just staring into the veil of nothingness.

So, when a foreign sound entered her ears after an endless amount of silence, her heart rate convulsed.

"Excuse me…"

The voice was quiet, but was enough to eradicate whatever was brewing in her mind. She immediately began questioning whether she had even heard the voice at all.

It was then that she realized that her eyesight had improved dramatically, all thanks to adjusting to the room's darkness. It was still difficult to see her surroundings, but she could make out the bearings of the room.

There were two prison cells of considerable size opposite her. They were completely empty, which was something she had suspected due to the absence of sound. That also meant there was likely a cell adjacent to hers on the left.

So she looked left.

Her eyes did not lock with an empty cell, but rather something within the same one she was occupying.

She saw a never-ending amount of chains. They were connected to something - to someone.

Somebody was with her.

Thanks to her adjusting to the light, she could make out their figure with some clarity. While much of what she could was still jet-black, this unknown person had a feature that dramatically stood out.

Upon seeing it, Lysithea felt her thoughts empty and her eyes widened in either terror or shock. She couldn't tell which.

Their hair. His hair.

A luminescence white.

She found its shade… equally beautiful and terrifying, and all too familiar.

Part of her was shocked that somebody had been in the cell with her all this time. Another part of her was… mesmerized. She couldn't figure out why, nor could she figure out if this sudden fascination was a good or bad thing.

Was it their unique appearance? The fact they were locked up by countless chains? Their presence entirely?

White hair…

White hair…

White hair!

Something in her mind clicked. It was a pulsing pain that began to expand dramatically fast.

There was a reason why she was so captivated.

However, the reason… was not a good one.

Lysithea did not notice her hands closing into fists. She did not notice her body beginning to shake. She did not notice her heart sink with apprehension.

The only feeling that kept her mind occupied was the sense that her body was getting overtaken… overtaken by an outrageously strong emotion.

The feeling… it was...

This had to be some sort of twisted joke.

It had to be. This was a level of mockery that made her just want to laugh.

"...may I ask for your name?"

She was looking at the White Wolf. The most dangerous criminal on the entire continent; the man responsible for much of the suffering in her life.

He was chained up.

He was defenseless.

She stood up.

Lysithea's legs moved on their own, as if raw instinct itself was guiding them. The rational part of her mind was gone. She thought of nothing.

With chaos guiding her right fist, she raised it skyward. A single moment later, it had smashed into the man's face. His face jolted sidewards awkwardly, but despite the crunch of the collision, not even a whimper came from the prisoner.

In contrast, she was echoing nothing but weeps of woe. Her body shook repeatedly, guided by a flood of adrenaline. The tip of her fist twitched awkwardly, one of her fingers pulsating with torment.

Lysithea ignored the body that was begging her to stop. Everything she was feeling right now… every ounce of distress… it was exactly what she wanted HIM to feel.

She targeted his jaw next, using her uninjured fist.

The punch hurt just as much as the last one, but she didn't care. Her vision blurred; she could barely see the man in front of her anymore, but it didn't matter.

She had something powerful guiding her.

Memories.

_"Seize that girl! She has to be part of his group!"_

She struck again. It hurt.

_"Look at her hair… you don't think…?"_

She targeted his chest. It hurt.

_"White hair is unnatural. It must mean you are like him."_

She paused momentarily, but only to catch her breath. She wasted no time in continuing her assault soon after.

It still hurt.

_"Could Count Ordelia be hiding the wolf?"_

Every punch resulted in a cry of agony.

The cry was always hers.

_"My daddy is innocent! He's done nothing wrong… he's done… nothing… wrong..."_

She heard a loud crack, followed by an extraordinary amount of pain condensed around her hand and wrist.

_"...mommy... why does nobody want to be my friend?"_

Lysithea collapsed backwards onto the ground, her head bashing against the cold floor. Upon crashing against the surface, she let out a wail of distress.

_"It hurts so much…"_

Every part of her body screamed, as if it was crying for treatment.

The girl's breathing was erratic, as if her body was unable to keep up with what was happening to her emotionally and physically.

Her mind was an incomprehensible mess of misery, as if it was shutting itself down.

This was torturous..

Today was torturous.

No… her entire life was torturous.

"...are you okay?"

The injured maiden couldn't even comprehend what emotion she was meant to be feeling after hearing the man's voice again.

She pushed herself up to gaze up at him, where she then saw first-hand the damage she had inflicted.

His face was bruised all over and his nose was bleeding; drops of blood dripped down towards the floor, with no end to the rain in sight. The sight was not pleasant to behold.

And yet, when she gazed into his azure eyes, she saw a ridiculous amount of concern. To any other being, his eyes would look like they lacked any emotion whatsoever… but when she looked into them… she saw something else entirely.

Concern... it was aimed at her.

"...why?" she murmured, forcing herself to her feet, even if every slither of movement added to the feeling that she could collapse at any moment.

She gripped one of the cell bars, using it as a means to adjust the balance of her body.

"You're hurt..." he answered, with a surprisingly soft voice. Despite its calmness, she could hear the awkward cracks of pain leaking through.

"...are you... insane?" she managed to let out a half-chuckle. It was harmful to use her voice like that, but it was nothing compared to how battered she was currently feeling.

"Answer me, please." he pleaded, offering that same soft voice that contradicted his physical state. "Are you okay? Please... answer me."

Lysithea felt a surge of anger brew inside her, giving her the energy needed to scowl at him.

The way he talked… it was as if he was talking down to her… treating her like…

"You… I don't need to answer you! I… can take care of myself. I'm not a child!"

Why did yelling at him feel so…

The White Wolf responded with a coughing fit, but it sounded like he was trying to laugh. "...my apologies. I of all people should know that... appearances can be deceiving."

What was happening right now? Was this all some ridiculous fever dream? What did his comment even mean? Nothing was… making any sense.

The duo stared at each other for what felt like an eon, neither letting out a single word.

This awkward atmosphere was eventually silenced by the creaking of a door. Lysithea snapped back into reality and her head snapped towards the direction of the prison's entrance.

Seteth wore a face that looked the same as his everyday face, but even he was finding it difficult to hide his inner shock. The way his eyes inspected the situation… the quivering of his lips… she could tell he was astonished.

It didn't take him long before he gathered his physical composure and hurried over to the cell, his breathing awfully awkward and noticeable in volume.

"Lysithea! What is this…?" He called out to her, unsure how to comprehend what his eyes were showing him.

Did she feel guilty about what she had done?

No. Not at all.

...Not at all.

The situation would be awkward to explain, so she ended up giving him the silent treatment rather than answer.

"...it doesn't matter right now, I suppose." he let out a sigh. She heard the sound of the door opening, which sounded obnoxiously louder than usual. "Can you walk? How injured are you? Did… did he…?"

The maiden felt her throat clench up, so she instead opted to answer through her actions by standing up. The process was unbearable, but she didn't want to even consider how pathetic she would look if she failed and fell.

As if on cue, she dropped down to the floor.

She thought she heard the older man yell out her name, but she wasn't sure entirely. As her vision blurred and the darkness crept in, she found herself staring into the wolf's eyes.

He was distressed. He was unhappy. He was worried.

But… why?

Lysithea was not given the time to answer her own question before she fell into the realm of unconsciousness.


	3. Warm Smiles

"Catch that thief!"

For those who frequented the market often, this was not a strange phrase to hear. For some, it conjured feelings of curiosity and chaotic excitement, whereas, for others, it was simple fear.

Lysithea figured there was a good chance she'd hear the line sometime in her life, though she definitely wasn't expecting to hear it during one of her first visits to the marketplace.

With a bag of goods in her hand, she scanned her surroundings for the commotion. Locating the perpetrator wasn't difficult despite their small figure, as anyone dashing through a sizable crowd would be noticeable.

There was a part of her that wanted to drop what she had bought and rush after the thief and save the day. She scoffed at the fantasy, finding her mind amusing.

She wasn't in some fairy tale. This was reality. The best course of action would be to stay put and simply observe.

Besides, she had promised her parents she would be back home as soon as possible. Her attendant was also nearby, so she didn't want to cause him to worry by wandering off.

The only reason she was here alone was to gain experience; to learn what the everyday commoner's life was like. It was a personal request granted to her by her father, though it took some convincing and an eventual compromise involving being watched from a close distance by a trusted family servant.

It was intimidating at first, being in such a crowded location. It didn't help that a few had given her strange looks, either mesmerized by the fact she was hiding away in a cloak too big for her or pondering why a child like her was out on her own.

But she was getting used to it. In fact, the idea of a thief on the loose made her a little excited, as it would help make this day even more memorable.

The criminal was rushing towards her location, successful in maneuvering throughout the marketplace as well as out of the hands of those who attempted to stop them. Lysithea strangely found her eyes glued to the burglar for a moment, something about them standing out.

When she realized why she was so hypnotized, a chill went down her spine.

What had shocked her was the thief's appearance. They wore baggy clothes and a cloak that covered their head. It wasn't unusual attire for somebody who wanted to commit crimes and get away with it. Ironically, she herself was wearing similar clothing.

But it wasn't the clothing that stood out to the Ordelian girl.

It was what she could see under that cloak that kept her frozen. It was what those clothes were hiding.

There was a significant amount of hair slipping out of their shawl, covering up most of their forehead.

Lysithea found herself enchanted by its color.

A luminescence white.

It was bizarre. It was almost like she was looking at herself in a way.

Caught in her trance, she barely noticed the robber bolt past her. For a split second, she noticed something else unusual about the criminal. Their eyes… they were…

Two peacekeepers entered the scene, sweat dripping down their faces. Their sudden appearance was enough to distract the young girl from her thoughts. Lysithea watched as they frantically tried to locate where the criminal had run off to.

She joined their search independently, as she wouldn't mind getting another look at this person. The hunt didn't last long, as the thief was found struggling to plot a path through the larger crowds.

"Seize that girl! She has to be part of his group!" One yelled at the people, frantically pointing at the thief stuck trying to get through. The criminal quickened their pace, no longer resisting the need for force when some wannabe heroes stepped forward in an attempt to apprehend the girl. The fugitive barged through numerous people, even knocking some people down, a surprising feat considering their small size.

Lysithea watched the chaos unfold, having remained stationary despite the panicking merchants and customers around.

One question rampaged throughout her mind. Every time she felt it creep into her head, her conflicting feelings grew.

Was she happy? Was she sad? She didn't know.

She had only seen their hair for a moment, but the image was clear in her head.

"...so there is another… like me…?"

* * *

When Lysithea awakened, she immediately felt her body begin to reject her consciousness. An uncomfortable aching pulse vibrated endlessly throughout her being. It urged her to close her eyes and let slumber take over.

The comfort of a cushy surface against the back of her head and neck didn't help this feeling either. The serenity of her surroundings against her exhausted body were like bliss.

What was with the weird flashes of images roaming in her head? They felt like they were from a dream she could barely recall. Was she seeing… her younger self? But why was she…?

A marginal opening of the eyes and the subsequent piercing of light against them was all that was needed to bring her away from the realm of unconsciousness.

Lysithea grumbled, expressing her discomfort at the brightness of the room she was in. She began to shuffle around so she could stubbornly avoid the light, allowing her face to rest on the cushion. However, her bodily movements only aided in her awakening.

Her mind was already refusing to stay in one place. Those strange images she was seeing moments before had dissipated, replaced by recollections of what had happened to her in that prison cell. The memories were already beginning to annoy her, so she decided the best cause of action was to distract herself. To do that, she'd have to get up.

She begrudgingly raised herself, hoping to stop the lingering sleepy feeling. If she could, it would no doubt aid her cloudy mind.

Her act was somewhat successful, the memories of that dark place subsiding. However, this only brought attention to her troubled vision, as she could not figure out who the blurry figure by her bedside was. Their distinct colorful appearance stood out even through the blur, enough to occupy her mind while the rest of her body woke up. Lysithea wasn't sure if she was thankful for the peculiar distraction or not.

"...Lysithea…?" the figure spoke with a soft, girly whisper. "How are you feeling?"

The Ordelian girl knew she wasn't feeling well at all, but she found it difficult to vocalize an answer. Letting out a groan, she began to move her body around a little, getting a feel for what parts ached the most as she maneuvered her way out of the bed. As she did so, she kept her eyes on the cloudy person.

"Ah! Please try not to move too much!" The figure called out to her in that familiar voice. The white-haired girl ignored the warning, instead opting to continue her dizzy shifting, mumbling incomprehensible nonsense to herself while doing so.

Only when did she feel the light touch of the girl's hands on her shoulder did she stop, the sudden new feeling enough to distract her momentarily.

"I have healed you, but you still need to take it easy." the girl spoke to her again, this time with a more alarmed tone that forced her out of the chair she was sat on. "Are you able to talk?"

Lysithea found herself unable to properly focus on the girl's speech, her fuzzy vision and how annoying it was preoccupying her unfocused mind. It was difficult to resist the urge to endlessly smack herself to force a complete awakening. It was equally difficult to resist the temptation to just collapse back onto the pillow and drift away.

Still, the matter of who exactly was talking to her was something that prominently lingered within her. She knew she recognized the voice of the girl talking to her. She also knew she wouldn't be able to figure out why if she could barely make out the girl's looks and put the two together.

Groaning at her abnormal vision and general lack of self-awareness, she brought a hand to her face, quickly noticing that there were lines on her cheek that were damp. Raising her hand higher, she felt a somewhat sticky liquid around her eyes, one that felt unpleasant against her fingers.

Lysithea found this discovery to be nothing but frustrating, but it was that irritation that gave rise to the cure she needed for her sleepy state. Curling both her hands into balls, she rubbed her eyes intensely. The motion was uncomfortable and made her eyes sting a bit, but it did the job and allowed her to see significantly better.

With her restored vision, she could finally see who was talking to her. In hindsight, it was ridiculously obvious who this person was.

"...Flayn... that's your name, right?" Lysithea asked with a croaky voice, her voice still requiring some adjustment after waking up. As she spoke, she found herself drawn to the formation of the other girl's eyes, watching as they lit up considerably. There was something about those eyes that was bothering her in the back of her head though, something she hadn't noticed when they had first met.

Lysithea began to feel a little uneasy and cautious, and the verdant-haired girl's actions certainly didn't help this feeling, as Flayn grew a beaming smile and almost looked like she could jump for joy.

"Oh, I am so glad you remembered my name!" Flayn expressed her happiness, clapping her hands together and lightly rubbing them together.

"Did… I pass out?" Lysithea inquired, ignoring the sudden enthusiasm she was witnessing. She had a good idea of how this question was going to be answered, but she hoped asking it in the first place would yield her a significant explanation of how she had passed out. Hopefully, it would cover things she might not be aware of.

"Yes, you were very exhausted," Flayn answered her, her face grown into one that looked a little disheartened, her gleaming smile replaced by a concerned frown. "It wasn't just because of your injuries either. I must know... how much sleep have you been getting?"

Lysithea's eyes drifted elsewhere, her teeth lightly biting on her lip as she listened to what Flayn had to say to her. She knew the question wasn't exactly hard one to answer, at least it usually wasn't. It was hard to admit the truth in this case though.

Still, she knew her moment of silence was enough to reveal her inner guilt, so with a sigh, she answered. "Not much. Barely any, in fact..."

She knew why, and that it wasn't her fault either. Still, it was hard not to blame herself. She was the one who couldn't get to sleep after all, regardless of reasoning.

Lysithea hoped Flayn would drop the subject fast.

Flayn's frown only intensified at the answer, but it was only slightly, as if she was expecting the answer. "I must ask...why is that?"

Lysithea lightly scoffed at the question. Crossing her arms, she found herself lightly glaring at the healer, making certain their eyes were on her own. "It doesn't matter."

She hoped her posture and expression would be enough to deter Flayn, but the church girl was proving to be persistent.

"Please, tell me," Flayn asked in an increasingly worried tone.

"I told you, it doesn't matter." Lysithea increased her volume. It wasn't enough to turn her speech into a shout, but she hoped it would get the message across.

Flayn backed down for a moment, her eyes no longer locked to the white-haired girl. "...I just want to help," she spoke in a quiet, yet adamant voice.

Before this point, Lysithea could tolerate the nagging. But now?

"I said it's none of your business!" Lysithea's answer yelled, her voice raised dramatically in an attempt to quiet down the other person in the room. She raised her body, slipping out of the bed so she could tower over Flayn.

"Are you stupid? When I tell you it doesn't matter, it DOESN'T! I'm thankful for you healing me, I really am, but that does NOT give you the right to pester me with questions I don't want to answer! Do I make myself clear? Well?!"

The church girl widened her eyes significantly at the answer. She opened her mouth to speak, but no more words came out. The two stared at each other, one leaking fierceness, the other resisting the urge to cry.

Lysithea felt a little guilty at the sudden outburst, breaking eye contact. The room entered a stubborn silence, both girls lost in their thoughts.

Seconds turned into minutes. Lysithea had a feeling Flayn wanted to say something, and she too wanted to say something to Flayn, but neither girl spoke.

She was conflicted. Part of her felt justified for her actions, while part of her didn't. While those two halves fought, her stubbornness took over, silencing her voice.

Neither girl broke that silence. Instead, it was somebody else, a considerably older man, entering the room oblivious to what had just happened, who did.

"Lysithea, you're awake?" Seteth asked, already wearing a face of relief. "Splendid. I am glad I left you in Flayn's capable hands."

Lysithea felt no motivation to respond to anything right now. She tilted her head sideways, staring at the nearby window, the peaks of several buildings blocking most of her view. The region was still being plagued by rain, but it didn't look as bad as it once was.

"Thank you, brother." Flayn accepted the praise, speaking in an uncharacteristically timid voice. Lysithea didn't know if the brother had noticed or not, but he made no comment. "...though I must admit, I am unsure if she is in a suitable position to see Rhea."

"Hmm… is that so?" Seteth responded, looking a little puzzled on what to say next. "Lysithea, how do you personally feel?"

She really didn't want to say anything still, but there was no use in evading his direct question.

"...tired." she confessed with a simple answer.

"I see." Seteth's reply was equally simple. "Do you think you are well enough to meet the archbishop?"

Lysithea knew she certainly was feeling decent enough to justify answering with a yes. The only problem was that she had no desire to meet the famous archbishop at all.

A personal audience with the leader of the church is not something granted so easily. She knew many would leap at the opportunity she was being given.

...but of course, this wasn't an opportunity. That would imply something positive could result from the meeting.

She was still accused of a crime she did not commit. Lysithea was no stranger to how the church operated; while they were kind and caring on the surface, they would not hesitate to discard any who would oppose them.

She had witnessed that firsthand back in her home territory, even.

But what choice did she have?

If she didn't go, it could be seen as childish at best, and admission to guilt at worst. Lysithea desired neither ends of the spectrum. nor anything in between.

"I see you are hesitant," Seteth snatched her away from your thoughts. "Then allow me to sweeten the deal, so they say."

His light laughter at the end certainly aided in gaining her curiosity.

Lysithea already began to hypothesize on what he was about to say.

His strange smile was certainly making it hard to figure out.

"Do you recall the accusations of you leaking classified information?" He asked, still oddly maintaining that go-happy look.

Of course, she knew about the accusations. They were one of the many things haunting her mind right now.

"Well, I am happy to tell you that they are no longer valid."

Lysithea rarely received good news.

As a result, her reaction was… nothing, at least externally. Internally, however? It was like a shockwave was spreading throughout her body, eradicating any last remnants of drowsiness in the process.

Being rid of the sleepiness was something, but doubt was a cruel, hard-to-defeat monster.

She began to think this was just a crude joke.

Lysithea thought for sure that she was being used as someone's scapegoat and that she was personally picked as no one, especially the church, would believe the story of a cursed girl.

This new development left her feeling confused, to say the least.

"...what changed?" Lysithea's voice leaked her relief. Seteth noticed the contrast in her voice, and that she sounded a little clearer and less muddled in her voice.

Seteth looked a little apprehensive to answer, but it didn't take too long for him to regain his composure. "The capture of the White Wolf was meant to be kept a secret to avoid public attention, but somebody leaked it. When we began our early investigations, rumors that you were the one who instantiated this rumor had already come into play."

Lysithea's body grew cold. Any happiness she had gained from being relieved of the accusation was gone, like it was never there to begin with.

She had already suspected that this was the truth behind her capture.

But to hear it for herself? The church admitting that this was why they had imprisoned her?

She hated it.

She hated how easy it was for her body to shut down too.

She didn't know what she hated more right now.

So… somebody within Garreg Mach had purposely sabotaged her.

Of course somebody had.

There was always someone who wanted to ruin her life even further.

Lysithea felt a strange urge to laugh, but resisted it. The sensation was bizarre, but she had a good feeling as to why that impulse had made itself known.

It truly felt like everything in the world was out to get her. The world looked so disgusting to her right now, that she just wanted to laugh at the misery she was feeling.

All because of her cursed hair, and the associations that came with. All because of HIM.

"We acted rashly," Seteth continued with a confession, just in time to stop Lysithea's frustration from growing. "We were too caught up in trying to capture the leaker as soon as possible that we believed the rumor. We had no other leads, and part of our being believed it due to the color of your hair."

Their reasoning was understandable. Lysithea just hated that it wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last, that bad things happened to her simply because of her cursed color.

"...my brother put in a good word for you," Flayn added, still sounding a little lacking in confidence. "He felt much regret for doing what he did to you, and wanted to make amends. My brother can be stern at times, but he cares for every student."

"Flayn, I simply did what I thought was right." He casually replied with a forceful chuckle. "No need to embarrass me." He quietly added.

Flayn formed a small smile. Lysithea felt happier looking at it, despite being the reason it had been absent in the first place.

"Lysithea, please accept my apology on behalf of the Church of Seiros," Seteth offered a small bow to the girl. "I am certain Rhea will also offer you an apology of her own when you meet her."

Bringing up the church's leader reminded her that regardless of being freed from her accusations, the archbishop still wanted to talk to her.

She wanted to know why, for she could think of no reason. Her thoughts would get her nowhere after all. So, after taking a deep breath, she vocalized her concerns.

"You still want me to meet the archbishop. Why is that?"

Seteth crossed his arms, his face simultaneously forming into one more serious.

"We would like to know more about the circumstances of your hair color." He answered.

Ah.

She should have known that was the reason.

"I must decline." Lysithea's answer was quick and to the point.

Seteth looked a little shocked after hearing her declaration. Lysithea noticed it too, and paid close attention to his expression, trying her best to read him.

No doubt Seteth had orders to take her to the archbishop, but he undoubtedly had his own morals to consider. Lysithea had a pretty good idea that he still held regret for imprisoning her in the first place, so she waited in apprehension to see what he would do.

"...very well, perhaps it is for the best, considering the archbishop's current state…" he answered, interestingly trailing off in volume as he spoke.

"Brother?" Flayn called out to him suddenly, her distinct voice successful in catching his attention. She wore a face of concern. "...perhaps it is best not to mention such things."

"Ah... yes, of course." He agreed, clearing his throat. His eyes glanced elsewhere as he lightly bit on his lips.

Lysithea heard every word, but decided to keep quiet.

Seteth cleared his throat one last time and focused back on the Ordelian girl.

"In that case, Lysithea, would you mind if I asked one single question?" He asked for permission.

Lysithea lightly scowled at him, knowing full well it would be a question in relation to her hair, but she returned to a normal expression after recalling that she really had no reason to act aggressively to this man.

He had been working hard for her, a person he barely knew.

Flayn had done the same, and she had treated her poorly. She wasn't going to make the same mistake here, but she still had to be honest. "Yes, but I might not give you an answer."

Seteth entered a posture of pondering, leaving the student in a state of anxiousness as she awaited his question. When it came, she was shocked, but realized it was one she should have anticipated.

"Why did you attack the wolf?" He asked, more out of curiosity than anything else. "At first, I thought he had somehow done something to you, but the wounds you received…"

"I hate him!"

Lysithea's answer was loud and snappy. It was perhaps the easiest question she's ever had to answer in her life.

"...very well. I will not pry further."

"Thank you." Lysithea responded, and she meant it. Silence began to reign once more, but its kingdom was shattered when Lysithea took the opportunity to ask an important question. "...will it be okay for me to return to my room?"

"Certainly," Seteth answered. "But I must ask that you allow us to escort you back, just to make sure you are alright," he added his condition.

Lysithea let out a light groan. Flayn didn't seem too happy about the ordeal either, but seemed saddened more than anything.

When the trio eventually stepped out into the outdoors, Lysithea was a bit thankful for their timing on when to leave, as the sun was beginning to set. She had no desire to be outdoors when night fell onto the land. The weather was still abysmal, but nowhere near as bad as it was earlier in the day. For the relatively short distance they had to cover, it was tolerable.

The escort was awkward, with not a single individual talking. Lysithea could feel Seteth's eyes constantly glued on her, but he didn't seem malicious, but rather cautious. Normally, she'd interpret that as a bad thing, but she felt she could be a bit at ease with him.

Flayn's attention was elsewhere, either as she didn't want to talk to anybody or because she found something in the scenery distracting. The latter was Lysithea's hopeful, yet unrealistic thinking.

Lysithea still felt bad about yelling at the church girl, but still felt a little justified in her actions as the healer was being too intrusive, especially for somebody she barely knew. That lingering stubbornness was stopping her from apologizing.

The remaining guilt she was feeling was beginning to become an intrusive and consistent thought in her head.

Lysithea knew what she had to do, but couldn't let out the words. All she had to say to her was two words, but her mind wouldn't let her.

When she finally arrived back at her quarters, Seteth and Flayn prepared to say their farewells.

Lysithea was frustrated. She wanted to say something. She really, really did!

In a moment of desperation, she began smacking herself a few times in the face, alarming the duo who were predictably surprised at her such action.

With their eyes glued on her, she felt like she had no choice but to say it.

"Flayn!" She said in a raised, but panicky voice.

"...yes? What is it?" The girl responded, her natural curious voice leaking through.

"To answer… to answer your previous question…" Lysithea started before pausing.

Why was she feeling so nervous?

Why couldn't she do anything right?

She smacked herself again, obliterating any of her doubtful thoughts that would definitely stop her from speaking. She received more weird looks, but braved them.

"Look…" she continued. "As to why I don't sleep much… it's because… I don't like dreaming, okay?"

"Dreaming?" Flayn repeated. Seteth made no comment, staying in the background in this conversation. "Do you have bad nightmares?"

"N-No! Not at all!" Lysithea yelled at her. The previous time she had snapped, Flayn was left holding back tears. This time? She was trying to hold back laughter. And failing.

"There's no shame in having nightmares, Lysithea." Seteth couldn't help but intervene. "You're more than welcome to talk to us about it, if you like."

"No thank you! GOOD NIGHT!" Lysithea hastily responded, rushing into her room and smashing the door firmly closed.

With her back against the door, she already felt more at ease, albeit incredibly embarrassed.

Her legs sunk into the ground, and she dramatically fell down with them, using her hands to stop herself from landing face-first onto the ground.

Despite her rampaging thoughts and feelings of shame, Lysithea found an incredible amount of comfort being back in her room. It already felt like an eternity since she was able to be by herself. Nothing but relief swarmed over her for a small amount of time. Wasting no time in dawdling, Lysithea changed into some more comfortable clothes and lying down on her bed, enjoying the feeling of her soft pillow.

She felt like doing absolutely nothing other than sleeping. It had been too long of a day, and she still ached quite a bit, refusing to mention such a fact to Flayn to avoid her pestering.

Much still lingered within her mind, but there was a fragment of clarity echoing within. Its presence confused her, especially as she had just had one of the worst days of her life. She could think of only one that was worse and…

...no, it was best not to think about that.

She wished there was a way to shut her mind down temporarily; to be free of the world of the chaos that lurked within her. It would be a wonderful thing.

She laid down on her back for some time, her thoughts too active to fall asleep. She found herself drawn to her nearby window, watching the sunset from a limited perspective. Regardless, the comfort of her room more than made up for that.

Lysithea von Ordelia felt strange. She felt weak. Yet, she also felt relaxed.

It was bizarre, and it was hard for her to figure out if she liked it or not.

She truly was cursed.

Cursed to suffer discrimination thanks to her hair.

Cursed to suffer an early death thanks to her unstable body.

And yet…

For the first time in a while, part of her felt… happy?

It was a rare feeling for her. She almost couldn't figure out that it was happiness she was feeling.

Flayn and Seteth's warm smiles entered her mind.

Ah.

So that was why she was feeling happier.

They were strangers to her, but she could tell that they cared.

It had been some time since someone ever cared for her well being.

The wolf… he had given her a look of great concern.

She hadn't seen that look directed at her in years. No one, not even her mother and father, had given her a look of…

Lysithea smacked herself again.

This time, it hurt.

Her parents loved her. Her parents loved her. Her parents loved her.

They always had. They always will.

Why was it suddenly becoming hard to breathe?

Why wouldn't the doubts go away?

Perhaps it was best for her to get some sleep.

Just to eliminate the thoughts that were beginning to severely scare her.

Perhaps this too was a dream.

It wouldn't surprise her if it was.


End file.
